About Meridian Local 4627
Our non-profit organization is fueled by the generosity of Meridian Firefighters.
We made a commitment to protect and serve our community and we honor this commitment by serving the community in our day to day profession and by participating in fundraising events that we truly believe will support our community.
Fire Honor Guard
ABOUT US
We honor our Flag, Our Country, and the community of Meridian Idaho.
The Honour Guard represents Meridians FireFighters at many official events, including funerals, recruit graduations, and retiree banquets.
They also attend private and community-based functions and processionals.
The Honour Guard travels when necessary to represent Local 4627 at other important occasions, such as line-of-duty death funerals and memorials for emergency responders across the United States.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
The tradition of bagpipes played at fire department and police department funerals in the United States goes back over 150 years. When the Irish and Scottish immigrated to America, they brought many of their traditions with them. One of these traditions was the Great Highland Bagpipe, often played at Celtic weddings, funerals and ceilis (dances).
It wasn’t until the great potato famine and massive Irish immigration to the East Coast of the United States that the tradition of the bagpipes really took hold in the fire department. In the 1800’s, Irish immigrants faced massive discrimination.
Factories and shops had signs reading “NINA” – No Irish Need Apply. The only jobs they could get were the ones no one else wanted – jobs that were dirty, dangerous, or both – firefighters and police officers. It was not an uncommon event to have several firefighters killed at a working fire. The Irish firefighters’ funerals were typical of all Irish funerals – the pipes were played. It was somehow okay for a hardened firefighter to cry at the sound of bagpipes when his dignity would not let him weep for a fallen comrade.
Local 4627 Benevolent Fund.
The Benevolent Fund hosts a variety of social events, supports the public education of the residents of the City of Meridian, the Burn-out Fund.